Welcome to Life
by Kismet17
Summary: Lily and James hide their daughter for her safety only to tell Dumbledore 16 yrs. later. Young Rose ends up with the unlikeliest of guardians, and friends. Secret spys and cute little sisters. Better than it sounds. characters slightly OC.R
1. The Letter

**Welcome to Life**

**Disclaimer: if I owned Harry Potter I wouldn't be writing about him on the internet, but I don't, so I do.**

Warning HBP did not happen in this story! So Dumbles is not dead and Snape is not evil!

**Chapter One: The Letter**

_Dearest Dumbledore,_

_If you are reading this now then today's date is August 1, 1997. We, that is James and I, don't know precisely how to explain this, we obviously have not survived up to this point in time or the Gringotts goblins would not have sent this letter, similarly the prophesy which Ms.Trelawney has given must be true and it was at Voldemort's hands that we have left this earth. But enough of this James tells me I am rambling, well to the point. As I am writing this I am seven months pregnant with my second child, which I'm sure will explain a lot of my recent behavior that you have been asking about, yes you sly old fox I know about your poking around and your questions, in any case James and I have thought long and hard about this and have decided to hide our little girl from the world, even from you. _

_Unfortunately too many people already know about Harry and we cannot hide him as well, we can only hope that both you and he will forgive us for hiding his sister for almost sixteen years. James recently found a spell that stops time for one person called _Tempus Consto _this spell is a less powerful form of the Sleeping Beauty charm and will cease on a specified date and time, in this case at midnight tonight. We have ordered a vault at Gringotts for our baby and have convinced the goblins to keep an eye on her. She will be in a type of stasis and will sleep until the spell awakens her, she will not age until then, and she will not need to eat or even really breathe for that matter, as much as it pains me to do this I know it must be done. Once she is awake she will grow at the rate of half a year everyday and will need to take a certain potion everyday until August 31._

_Please Albus do not be mad at us for this we are trying the best we can to protect our child, I know that Harry will more than likely have a hard life without us and all I am trying to do is to spare our Rose that, that will be her name by the way, Rose Catherine Potter. I know that you may not be able to be her sole care giver so I ask that if you do place her under another's care I ask that you trust that person with your life and that that person have good potion making skills as the potion (which is on the next page) will need to be brewed almost constantly. So even though James still does not agree with me I want to recommend Severus Snape as a possible guardian for Rose, at least until she reaches the proper age. We know of Severus's work for the Order and he and I actually used to be very good friends. Even if he is not the guardian you choose please just promise you will take care of our baby, both of them. _

_Tonight when you go to Gringotts to get Rose simply ask for Blackgrip the goblin he will know what you are there for and he will take you to the right vault. Inside there will be a glass crypt on a dais that is where Rose will be. Near her will be enough money to see to her up bringing since we do not want to inconvenience her guardian. Thank you Albus and thank whoever her guardian is for us please._

_Love and Gratitude, _

_Lily and James Potter_

_August 1__st__ 1981_

"Well Severus?"

Snape sighed he had wondered why the Headmaster had called him to his office so late, or rather so early as it was currently three o'clock in the morning. 'Well now you know' he thought to himself absently drinking the strong cup of tea he held. The Goblins had waited until the stroke of midnight to send that letter and Dumbledore had called Snape almost immediately after reading and understanding it.

"Well Severus what?" he grumbled he still could not believe what he had just read. Lily the only friend he had ever had, the one he had barely spoken to after she had married Potter, turns out to have a daughter whom she hid in a Gringotts vault under a stasis charm! And to top it off she _and Potter_ wanted _Him_ to care for her. Merlin he had a headache!

"Will you go with me to the vault at midnight to retrieve Rose Potter from the vault and will you become her guardian once she awakens?" Dumbledore was watching him carefully, the usual twinkle in is eye only a dull glimmer

He knew he should say no, he would never help out _Potter_ but seeing Lily's hand writing asking for him to care for her child, going so far as to convince her husband that it was a good idea, well he might as well do something seeing as he was no longer of use as a spy, he winced thinking of how he had barely escaped with his life once he had been found out.

He sighed once more, "Fine I'll do it."

"Excellent my boy," the twinkle was back with a vengeance "you should go home and get Spinner's End ready…."

"No, Headmaster" Snape cut him off, "I'm sorry but I sold Spinner's End almost a year ago."

"Why Severus! Why haven't you said anything?"

"I was not aware that I had to report this to you" Snape said regain the sneer that he had lost since he picked up the letter. "However to satisfy your curiosity I have been staying at Snape Manor. In all actuality I thought it was rather obvious that I live there, the wards on that house rival those here at Hogwarts and with my recent drop in popularity among the more unsavory side of society I thought it best to go where they can not reach me."

"That's alright my boy. In fact it's better than alright, its prefect, all that space and grounds will help you to raise this rapidly growing girl. You can even teach her all the magical training she will need to enter Hogwart's for her sixth year..."

"Albus," Snape stopped him "we have not even seen the girl, she more than likely cannot even talk yet because according to the letter this baby…"

"Rose, Severus she does have a name"

"Very well then Rose was born sometime near the beginning of October, the same month the Potters died! And already you are planning for when she reaches her correct age of sixteen." He took a deep breath as he looked into Dumbledore's eyes. Snape didn't want to admit it to himself but he was already feeling slightly protective of his young charge. He regained his composure. "I will see you tonight then, Headmaster shall we meet at Gringotts at ten o' clock?"

Dumbledore nodded, he knew Severus was going through a difficult time right now seeing as he had just lost the role he had been playing for the Order. In fact Dumbledore knew that if the letter had come before that Severus would never have agreed to take charge of the young Potter girl. Before him was a man who had lost his identity and was grasping to find a purpose for his existence. This was the reason for his out of character decision.

"That is perfectly fine Severus I shall see you tomorrow, or rather tonight." Snape nodded curtly and turned to leave. "And Severus," Snape stopped but did not turn, "Don't worry it will all turn out alright"

At this Snape did turn and Dumbledore was surprised to see him smirking, "Of course it will," he said, "can you _imagine_ Harry Potter's face when he finds out that I am the one who has raised his baby sister?" And with that Snape left, off to Snape Manor to catch some sleep and order the house elves to prepare for the new arrival.

**Ok that's it my first chapter ever!** **Please review; tell me did you like it? Should I continue? Criticism is welcome. Toodles!**


	2. Discovery

**Welcome to Life**

**Disclaimer: Blah blah blah…..Harry Potter isn't mine….ect.**

Warning HBP did not happen in this story! So Dumbles is not dead and Snape is not evil!

_**Thoughts **_

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_**Previously**_

_Snape nodded curtly and turned to leave. "And Severus," Snape stopped but did not turn, "Don't worry it will all turn out alright"_

_At this Snape did turn and Dumbledore was surprised to see him smirking, "Of course it will," he said, "can you __imagine__ Harry Potter's face when he finds out that I am the one who has raised his baby sister?" And with that Snape left, off to Snape Manor to catch some sleep and order the house elves to prepare for the new arrival._

Standing outside Gringotts, glaring at everyone to pass stood the infamous Severus Snape. He had arrived promptly at ten o'clock to meet Albus and to pick up the _child_. He still could not believe that he had agreed to take her in, Granted it seemed like a good idea at the time but even so he could not help but feel just the tiniest spark of anxiety.

_Who are you kidding Severus_, the potions master sighed;_ you haven't been this nervous since the last death eater meeting!_ His eyebrows slammed down in a fierce scowl as he thought about his words._ The last and final meeting. Well I suppose if the only thing I'm good for is watching over a baby for a month then that's that._ Just then the anxiety hit him again._ Good Merlin I'm going to look after a baby! If Albus doesn't get here soon I may just leave, Even if the girl is Lily's daughter._

After two more minutes Snape saw a flash of periwinkle blue further down the cobblestone street. He sighed, _that has to be Albus, who else would stand out so much in a crowd. _And of course he did stand out very much if not only for his clothes then simply because he was the Great and mighty Dumbledore, defeater of evil, leader of the light, and so on and so forth. The few people that were out turned to watch Dumbledore as he walked down the street to meet Snape. When he finally reached him it was clear to Dumbledore that Snape was not at all happy, which upset him greatly seeing as how much Dumbledore needed his cooperation. "Good evening Severus, am I late?" Snape settled for a glare. "Well then shall we press on?" Dumbledore walk up the steps leading to the inside of the Gringotts bank.

Inside was a relief to Snape he had always enjoyed the bank if only for its order and quietness, however when a squat goblin came up to them and introduced himself as Blackgrip, he no longer felt the tranquility that was usually inspired here.

"Are you here for _her_?" the goblin asked in a gravelly voice that was common to his kind, "Do you have the letter?"

"Yes we do in as a matter of fact," Dumbledore said cheerfully digging around n his pockets for the letter, "Ah, here we go!" He said as he extracted the letter form his pocket and presented it to the goblin. Snape watched as Blackgrip examined the letter that Lilly had written, when he seemed satisfied he handed the letter back and instructed them both to follow him. Blackgrip led them to the carts usually used to transport about the vast underground vaults of Gringotts however once they had all piled into the cart, much to Snape's distaste, the cart proceeded to go up and not down also it seemed to go much slower, like a Muggle elevator.

Blackgrip turned then to speak to him passengers, "We must apologize, after the Potters died we moved their daughter out of the vault and into a special room nearer to my quarters, you see" he said with a little smile that pulled his face strangely, "many of us have grown attached to the young child. We have even discovered a way to teach her even though she is sleeping."

Snape's expression was neutral; after all he didn't want to offend the goblin, if only because if he did he might never find his way out of Gringotts, Goblins were notorious for their cruelty. "Why would you teach her? She is only a month old, is she not? What could she possibly understand while she is that young and asleep?"

Here the Goblin's expression turned dark leaving him looking more menacing. "Ah but here is something you don't know Severus Snape, directly after the Potter's died the spell on the child weakened, if we had not checked on her that day we might never have known the terribleness of it all."

"What happened?" Dumbledore asked. "Is she alright?" Snape had to admit he was curious himself.

"Oh yes Dumbledore, she is fine, now. But you see when the spell casters died it weakened the part of the enchantment that kept her mind asleep," Dumbledore Gasped and shock was clearly written on Snape's face. "If we had not realized this and taken steps to aid the girl, she would have gone insane, after all being trapped in your mind and completely alone would eventually do that to a person." Just then the Cart stopped and every one got off.

Snape looked around, it still seemed that they were underground but he knew for a fact they had been going up. As he took in his surroundings, the dank walls and minimal light that made the Hogwart's Dungeons seem cozy, he thought about the near horror that the child had narrowly avoided. "Over here." The goblin was standing next to a outcropping of rock that seemed to be the same as any other, however when he put is hand onto it the rocks grew in to a large stone door, it was encased in silver and had no decorations, in fact if it was not mad if precious metal and had popped out of a rock it seemed almost ordinary… almost.

"Welcome to the Gringotts Goblin home. Rose is in here and seeing as it is already eleven fifty we'd best be moving." Blackgrip then touched the door and it swung open, bathing the cave in light.

_This is it, no turning back now. _Snape had a feeling that his life was about to change forever in the next eleven minutes.

**Ok here's chapter 2. Sorry it took so long sigh Drama at home then computer malfunction, plus with school coming I haven't even done my summer homework! Ahhh! Oh well it's all over now, well except the homework. grin **

**And thanks to catgirlz2287 and KillmeKissme15 for the reviews hugs**

**Remember I love even flame Reviews**


	3. The Countdown

**Welcome to Life**

Chapter 3: The Countdown

_Well that was a bit anticlimactic…_was Snape's only thought.

From the grandness of the door and the bright light that filled the cave he had expected something fairly impressive to serve as the goblin's home. Instead there was just a long hallway with bright overhead light fixtures that ran along the length of the dingy yellowish brown faded ceiling.

"Follow me her rooms not far." murmured Blackgrip.

Down the hall they walked, Snape, always aware of his surroundings, noted the doors that were interspersed throughout the hall seemed to be made of some kind of metal, perhaps bronze or such that made them shine with a brown hue.

Snape tried to keep track of the direction they were heading. _left, right, up two flights of stairs, another left, though a door down a hallway, right…blast why must goblins make things so difficult! _Finally the odd group stopped in fount of a door in the middle of the hallway. There was nothing remarkable about this door save that it had the number 121212 on it. Making Snape wonder how many Goblins actually lived in this maze.

"This is it Gentlemen, its not grand but then again the child doesn't exactly need frills," the goblin wheezed as though he had said something remarkably witty, as he turned pulled out a key and opened the door.

"Well this is exciting isn't it my boy. In only four minutes we'll be meeting little Rose Potter" Dumbledore seemed not concerned in the least about the present predicament but his usual happy-go-lucky self.

"Ill try to contain my over running cup of joy" was the dry response from his companion. As they were led into the room where Snape's future charge was being kept they noticed at once the music that seemed to be playing from nowhere. Snape recognized it fleetingly as the Moonlight Sonata, something his mother played often when he was young. However his interest was immediately captured by the small dais surrounded by heaps of gold, standing in the middle of the room.

And upon that dais, small and fragile lying inside a glass coffin like structure was Rose Potter.

**(A.N. I'm not that mean, let's try and make this a BIT longer)**

"She's very tiny, do you know her date of birth by any chance Blackgrip?" was the first statement uttered from Dumbledore.

"Yes in fact, I have her papers right here." Blackgrip reached onto a small shelf built into the wall. "Rose Catherine Potter," he read. "Born October 10th 1981. To James and Lilly Potter nee Evans. Brought to Gringotts on October 31st though a transportation spell to vault 3689. Tempus Consto charm activated automatically upon arrival."

Snape, who had been standing by the door up until now spoke up then, "so then she didn't arrive her until the 31st. presumably at the moment the Potters were attacked?"

"Yes that is correct Mr. Snape, the Potters apparently had it all arranged with Gringottssecurity and the manager of the bank at the time. They were given a special spell that would allow them to send one object though bank security to a specific vault or place, in this case that glass contraption over there. And have an additional spell cast at the moment the first was activated. Since I happened to be the goblin charged with their accounts the responsibility for caring for the youngling fell to me " the goblin let a slow grin cross his face. " What human? Did you think the Potters just happened to place her in the vault on that night on the off chance they were going to be attacked?"

Snape saw red. "Now now gentlemen, now is not the time to be bickering, would anyone care for a lem-"

"WWAAAAHHHHHHHH………."

All three males turned simultaneously to the source of the powerful racket that was overpowering the beautiful classical music coursing though the room.

"Well it seems someone has woken up from their nap, isn't it wonderful Severus?" Dumbledore smiled and walked to pick up the flailing three week old baby from the now empty dais, the glass "contraption" Snape noticed was no where in sight. It seemed midnight had passed and now Severus Snape was the _oh so proud _guardian of a screaming healthy _annoying_ baby girl.

"I can barely contain my rapture" he stated all the while thinking _Dear Merlin what have I gotten myself into!!_

Ok so there it is the third chapter!!! So incredibly sorry to those of you who have been waiting for this chap, let me tell you getting used to college is not easy. but now I've got my own laptop and can write more often. Yay!!! please R&R ALL comments are welcome. let me know if there is any thing you can think of that will improve upon the story or my writing. I'M LOOKING FOR A BETA!!! ANYONE INTERESTED LEAVE ME A COMMENT!!!!


	4. Finally Awake

**Welcome to Life**

Chapter 4: Finally Awake

_Oh Merlin what have I gotten myself into!!_

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Snape watched in both horror and fascination as Dumbledore picked up the infant draped in a pink blanket, wincing slightly at the amount of noise such a small bundle could produce.

"Well she's quite the looker isn't she Severus?, Yes yes and I imagine your hungry aren't you little one?" Dumbledore smiled down at the whimpering child in his arms. Glancing up he said "do you have the potion with you m'boy?"

Quickly Snape reached into his robe pulling out the large vile of potion-laced baby formula that the last part of Lilly's letter had said the bab- _Rose_… Snape corrected himself, would need to drink an hour after waking to begin the growth process she would endure for the next few months.

Handing it off to the Headmaster, Dumbledore transfigured the vile into a bottle, preformed a mild warming charm, tested the liquid on the inside of his wrist, and placed the bottle next to Rose Potter's tiny mouth. Instinct kicked in causing her to turn towards the bottle and begin drinking. Snape had to admit that he had never seen anything like it before, never having been around babies much, the greedy sounds _Rose_ made were a bit odd. He moved over to see her a bit better, then stopped directly in front of the headmaster looked down and wrinkled his _shapely _nose, "She has Potter hair."

And indeed she did, little Rose had a thick mop of black hair that look as though it would be as unkept as her bother's and father's, and a small button nose like her mother's. The rest of her look fairly normal Snape supposed, small hands and limbs, a smooth face red and splotchy from crying and oddly shaped lips sucking on a bottle, but when she opened her small eyes both men gasped, her eyes were a funny shade of purple!

"Blackgrip, do you know why this child's"

"Rose, Severus, Rose"

"Eyes are such a disturbing color?"

" Ah, yes that, gentlemen was one of the side effects we goblins found when the spell wore off, apparently her body rushed emergency oxygen to her brain thinking she was going under life-threatening stress, the absence of hemoglobin in her eyes cause the iris to permanently change color, they were a shade of blue before if I'm not mistaken."

Both men again looked down at the babe who had finished her bottle and was, seemingly patiently staring up at them.

"Mr. Blackgrip could you tell us more about the spell you did to keep her mind active?" Dumbledore asked politely while shifting Rose to be burped.

Snape then noticed the moonlight sonata had stopped playing and was replaced instead by a friendly female voice instructing how to perform a proper feather-light charm, something normally taught in sixth year.

_You must hold the wand loosely, turn in a three quarter backward slash and say the incantation, remember the inflection is on the second syllable …_

" To be honest we didn't do much, for a while we simply had a goblin in her with her who was proficient in mind magic and had them comfort her and keep her company, as the years went by we began to give her educational recordings to listen to so she wouldn't get too bored and could learn a bit."

"How could she understand all this," Snape waved a hand at the air where the voice was still giving out instructions. "She may be mentally awake but it is still the mind of a child" he looked down the freshly burped and now napping Rose Potter.

"Of course you're right Professor Snape, I must be mistaken," Blackgrip replied with a sly look that had Snape narrowing his eyes. "Well gentlemen if you have no further questions I believe it is time for us to be leaving."

Neither man contradicted Blackgrip so they left though the door, none looking behind them.

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Back at Hogwarts in the Headmasters office Dumbledore and Rose Potter waited for Severus Snape, who was still and Gringotts arranging for all the gold in Rose Potter's vault to be transferred to one of his 3 private vaults at Dumbledore's insistence.

After twenty-five minutes the fireplace flared green and out stepped Snape. "Everything went well Severus?"

With a small wave to his robe Snape nodded his head, "yes headmaster everything went smoothly is Miss Potter still sleeping?" He glanced at the frilly basket like thing near the headmaster's desk.

Dumbledore sighed, "Honestly Severus you're going to be raising the girl you could at least call her by her proper name, and yes she still sleeping, apparently even after nearly sixteen years of sleep drinking a bottle will tire her out." Dumbledore handed Snape back the transfigured bottle. I would hope that you have at least a few real bottles at home Severus, the Rose cannot live on Transfigured objects alone."

Snape glared a bit at the Headmaster, "The house-elves have everything ready Headmaster, there is a room connected to mine that has become Miss- Rose's new room. They simply had not had time to give me a _bottle_ before I left."

"That's wonderful my boy, wonderful, oh someone's waking up" the headmaster's eyes sparkled as he looked at the figure moving in the bassinet. "Why don't you hold her Severus, it'll be good practice."

Reluctantly Snape walked over to the bundle and gently picked her up, mind whirling over all the information he had read on babies since that morning. _Hold gently but firmly, cradle the head and relax. _Snape nearly smirked. This isn't so bad; in fact it's as easy as a boil cure potion.

Looking down into indigo eyes he remarked "I now have another Potter to teach, _wonderful, _hopefully this one isn't a dunderhead like her father and brother."

Just as the Headmaster opened his mouth to chastise Snape a small voice filled their minds

"_Excuse me Sir but what is a Dunderhead?"_

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Ok folks there's Chapter 4. So did you like it? Let me know by pushing that little review button!!!!


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